Medical wiring and tubing are commonly tied to poles with plastic tie strips. The tie strips have an undulating surface along their length, and a small opening at one end through which the other end of the strap is introduced. The small opening includes a spring mechanism that interacts with the undulating surface to provide a rachet mechanism permitting tightening the strap around the wires, tubing and pole but which cannot be released. Frequently, the wires and tubing are clamped by the strap over one another so that it becomes difficult to follow any one wire or tube, and replacement of a single wire may require cutting the strap and using a new strap to tie the wires and tubing back on the pole.
The shortcomings of the conventional tie strap described above have been particularly noticeable when used in the medical environment, in particular when used in connection with complicated extracorporeal heart/lung equipment and patient monitoring equipment. This equipment requires a multiplicity of wires and tubing, some of which is used on a semi-permanent basis for more than one surgery and some of which is disposable between surgeries. It can be difficult to determine which tie straps need to be cut to remove some wires or tubes without removing others. Moreover, visual inspection of the wires and tubing before or during surgery is difficult when they are clamped over one another by the tie strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,465 (Rhodes et al.) describes a retainer apparatus including a pair of sponges mounted between a pair of supports, which can be connected by hinges, for securing devices or objects. That apparatus includes a flexible strap for mounting on a pole or other object.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,069 (Clark) discloses an inlet tube stabilizer for a flexible container, such as a plastic bedside drainage container, on a bed member or other support. That stabilizer comprises a strap having a gripper member including spaced apart lips forming enclosures of different diameters for retaining tubes of different sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,793 (Shillington) relates to a pole clip needle cap holder which can be mounted on an IV support pole for holding one or more tubes close to the IV pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,792 (Huber) discloses clamping means for physiological fluid infusion systems, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,963 (Shepherd) discloses a portable intravenous fluid carrier.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,372,683; 3,322,381; 3,521,332; 3,594,682; 3,778,537; 4,406,042; 4,673,153 and 4,864,697 show wire or tubing clips, or other retaining devices.